Guatemala

Discover the vibrant land of Guatemala with our easy-to-follow travel guide. Learn about Guatemala's weather patterns and find out the best months to plan your visit. Our guide explains how to get around the country and highlights the top cities and destinations you shouldn't miss. We'll introduce you to delicious Guatemalan foods that will make your taste buds happy. Plus, uncover secret spots and hidden gems that most tourists never get to see.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Guatemala City & Central Highlands: March to May and November to December offer pleasant temperatures 18-24°C (65-75°F) with minimal rainfall. The highlands maintain comfortable spring-like weather throughout the year.

Pacific Coast: November to April provides dry, sunny days with temperatures around 26-32°C/80-90°F. September should be avoided as it's the rainiest month.

Petén & Northern Lowlands: December to April has lower humidity and temperatures around 24-29°C/75-85°F, making it ideal for exploring Tikal and other Mayan sites.

Lake Atitlán & Western Highlands: November to May features clear skies and comfortable temperatures 15-24°C (60-75°F). During these months, the indigenous markets of Chichicastenango are less crowded.

Eastern Guatemala: December to April offers drier conditions, best for visiting the Río Dulce and Caribbean coast.

How to Get to Guatemala

Guatemala has several airports that connect travelers to different parts of the country. La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City is the main hub, handling international flights from the Americas and Europe. In the northern region, Flores Airport (FRS) provides access to the jungle areas where Mayan ruins are located. Additional local airports in Quetzaltenango and Puerto Barrios offer domestic connections.

From these entry points, visitors can travel to various destinations:

• After arriving, you can reach Flores, a small island town built around a lake with traditional streets.
• Alternatively, you can travel to El Paredon on the Pacific coast, which is popular with surfers.

Each airport serves as a starting point for exploring Guatemala's diverse attractions.

How to Get Around

Guatemala's roads tell stories of connection. 

Between cities like Antigua and Lake Atitlan, shuttle minivans carry travelers from doorstep to doorstep without the hassle of changing vehicles. 

For those who value local encounters over comfort, the repurposed American school buses painted in bright blues, reds, and yellows and nicknamed "chicken buses" cost little and fill quickly with locals carrying everything from market goods to actual chickens.

When time matters more than money, planes link Guatemala City to Flores, where the ancient Mayan city of Tikal waits. 

Around Lake Atitlan, boats become the primary means of transportation, ferrying people between lakeside towns where roads don't reach. The coastal areas work the same way, boats aren't just an option; they're essential.

In towns, the put-put sound of tuk-tuks announces their arrival. These three-wheeled taxis zip through narrow streets for small change. Regular taxis wait in cities for longer rides.

Travelers who prefer independence can rent cars, though the mountain roads demand respect with their sharp turns and occasional landslides during rainy seasons.

For those who'd rather not navigate the transportation puzzle alone, companies like Neway Tours and GuateGo can arrange the journey. A chicken bus ride might make the best travel story, but a pre-booked shuttle ensures you'll arrive in time to watch the sunset over the lake.

Local Food Scene

Guatemala's food tells stories of ancient Mayan cooks and Spanish arrivals. When hunger strikes in Antigua, the rich meat stew pepián waits at Los Tres Tiempos, where each spoonful connects to centuries of tradition. In the cooler highlands of Cobán, families gather around steaming bowls of kak'ik, a turkey soup that warms both body and spirit.

Morning light finds vendors setting up at Chichicastenango Market every Thursday and Sunday. The sound of palms slapping fresh corn dough into tortillas mixes with conversation. 

Guatemala City's Mercado Central buzzes with locals unwrapping banana-leaf chuchitos, the country's version of tamales. 

Along Antigua's 7th Avenue, food carts appear at dusk, drawing people with the scent of cooking.

Each region holds its own food memories:

• -Jocon, chicken cooked with fresh herbs, fills homes in Quetzaltenango.
• -Caribbean towns serve tapado, where seafood meets coconut in a steaming pot.
• -During All Saints' Day, families prepare fiambre, a special cold salad that brings everyone to the table.

For evening meals, Kacao in Guatemala City serves indigenous recipes with care and respect. 

Meson Panza Verde in Antigua brings Mediterranean techniques to local ingredients. La Esquina reimagines traditional flavors for today's palates.

The shores of Lake Atitlán host El Faro, where ingredients travel just steps from garden to plate. 

These tastes of Guatemala wait in kitchens across the country, ready to become part of your own story.

Hidden Gems to Visit

1. Laguna Brava

Deep in Guatemala's highlands sits a turquoise lake that few travelers ever see. Limestone cliffs rise from clear waters that reflect the sky above. Between November and April, the water becomes so clear you can see straight to the bottom. 

Getting there isn't simple. You'll bounce along a rough road for three hours from Nentón, then walk another 45 minutes on foot. The journey keeps crowds away, but rewards those who make the effort. Ask someone from the area to guide you; the paths aren't marked, and locals know which turns to take.

2. El Boquerón Canyon

Water carved this limestone gorge over centuries, creating walls that stretch 500 feet toward the sky while the Río Grande flows quietly below. 

From December through April, when water runs lower, visitors can walk along parts of the canyon floor and feel dwarfed by nature's architecture. The canyon is just 30 minutes from Chiquimula. Come early in the day when sunlight filters between the rock walls, creating patterns worth capturing in photos.

3. Manchón Guamucha

Birds from across the continent gather in Central America's largest coastal wetland. Over 300 species call these waters home or stop here during their travels. 

Between October and February, the sky fills with wings as migration reaches its peak. The wetlands stand about 45 minutes from Retalhuleu. In the village of La Blanca, someone will guide your boat through narrow channels between mangroves, pointing out creatures you might otherwise miss.

Scenic Routes

Guatemala's landscapes tell stories through volcanic highlands, jungle paths, and clear lakes. Travelers who take these routes find themselves part of the narrative rather than just moving from one place to another.

Antigua to Lake Atitlan: The road meanders through small highland villages where families have grown coffee for generations. Volcanoes stand as silent guardians along the way. Travelers who visit between November and April avoid the rains and see the clearest views. Shuttle buses follow curves in the road that reveal new mountains at every turn.

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• Flores to Semuc Champey: From Petén's jungle heat to cool limestone pools, this journey crosses Guatemala's changing face. December through February brings comfortable temperatures and dry trails. Tourist shuttles handle the rough patches while giving you time to notice how the landscape transforms hour by hour.

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• Coban to Lanquin: Cloud forests wrap around the road as it climbs and descends through the rural highlands. At journey's end: pools of turquoise water. March to May offers clear skies. The minibuses stop at overlooks that cars often miss.

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• Panajachel to Jaibalito: Lake Atitlan opens before you, with three volcanoes watching over the crossing. Morning light makes the water shine all year round. Only public boats make this trip, putting you elbow to elbow with locals who cross these waters daily.

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• Rio Dulce to Livingston: Canyon walls rise straight from the water as birds call overhead. The river eventually meets the Caribbean, where Garifuna culture thrives in Livingston. July and August fill the shores with birds and animals. You can only get there by boat, which passes hidden springs and riverside homes along the way.

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Events, Festivals and Local Markets

The Chichicastenango Market is filled with Maya artisans who sell hand-woven textiles in bold reds and purples every Thursday and Sunday. Locals and visitors walk shoulder to shoulder between stalls of wooden masks and traditional crafts in Chichicastenango.

December's Fiesta de Santo Tomás turns Chichicastenango into a celebration of sound and movement. Men in handcrafted masks dance through streets while the bravest climb a 30-meter pole before flying through the air on ropes, a tradition dating back centuries.

During Semana Santa (Holy Week), residents of Antigua spend nights creating street carpets from colored sawdust and flowers. As dawn breaks, processions of purple-robed participants carry heavy wooden platforms through streets lined with onlookers.

The Feria de Jocotenango brings carousel music and the smell of grilled corn to Guatemala City each August. Families gather after sunset to eat, ride, and listen to marimba bands playing in honor of the Virgin of the Assumption.

Best Places to Visit

1. Antigua

Watched over by three volcanoes, where cobblestone streets wind between centuries-old buildings. This UNESCO World Heritage site tells stories through its weathered walls and arches. Between November and April, the skies clear, offering unobstructed views of the volcanoes that stand guard over the city.



Weekends bring the central plaza to life as local artisans spread their handwoven textiles and carvings across tables. As evening approaches, the notes of marimba music float through café windows, pulling passersby inside where musicians' hands dance across wooden bars.

How to get to Antigua

-Shuttle service from Guatemala City airport (approximately 1 hour)

-Tourist buses from Guatemala City or Lake Atitlan

-Private car hire with driver from major cities

2. Guatemala City

Guatemala City spreads across 22 zones, each with its own character and rhythm. Museums house treasures from pre-Columbian times, while markets pulse with activity and restaurants serve plates that tell the country's culinary story. The months between December and February bring comfortable temperatures and dry days.

Zone 4's gallery lights stay on late during weekly art openings. Inside the National Theater, orchestra notes regularly fill the hall. The Central Market creates a daily symphony of voices as vendors call out their offerings and shoppers negotiate prices.

• How to get to Guatemala City
• -Direct international flights to La Aurora International Airport
• -Inter-city buses from all major Guatemalan cities
• -Private shuttle services from Antigua or Lake Atitlan

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• 3. Panajachel

Panajachel stands as the doorway to Lake Atitlan, where a main street lined with shops and restaurants leads down to water that stretches to distant shores. October through December offers a quieter experience while maintaining pleasant weather.

Throughout the day, boats depart from wooden docks as guides point out hidden spots along the shoreline. When darkness falls, musicians at the Sunset Café play as the final light catches the water's surface, turning it golden before darkness settles.

How to get to Panajachel

• -Public "chicken" buses from Guatemala City or Antigua
• -Private shuttle services from major cities
• -Water taxis from other Lake Atitlan villages

4. Lake Atitlan

Volcanoes create a natural wall around Lake Atitlan, where indigenous villages dot the shoreline. Each community carries its own identity – San Pedro welcomes backpackers while San Marcos draws those seeking meditation and healing practices. From January to May, morning waters lie still as glass, perfectly reflecting the volcanoes.

As the sun breaks over the eastern mountains, yoga practitioners stretch on wooden platforms extending into the water. In village cooperatives, women demonstrate the ancient art of backstrap weaving, their hands moving with practiced precision as they create patterns passed down through generations.

How to get to Lake Atitlan

• -Boat transportation from Panajachel
• -Helicopter tours from Guatemala City (premium option)
• -Hiking trails connecting villages (for adventurous travelers)
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Tips for Traveling in Guatemala

VISA & ENTRY

• US/EU/Canada citizens: Free 90-day tourist visa on arrival
• Passport must be valid 6+ months beyond stay
• Keep the entrance stamp/Tourist Card safe

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Greet people with "Buenos días/tardes/noches"
• Dress modestly when visiting religious sites
• Ask permission before taking photos of local people

MONEY MATTERS

• Currency: Quetzal (Q)
• US dollars are accepted in most tourist areas
• ATMs are available in cities; bring cash for rural areas
• Credit cards work at major hotels and restaurants

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency numbers: 911 or 120 (police)
• Recommended vaccines: Hepatitis A/B, Typhoid
• Get travel insurance before your trip
• Only drink bottled water

TRANSPORTATION

• Chicken buses for cheap local travel
• Tourist shuttles connect major destinations
• Uber services are available in Guatemala City
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